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Frequently Asked Questions Insurance

Temporary Continuation of Coverage

You must apply for Temporary Continuation of Coverage (TCC) with your agency Human Resources Office within 60 days from the date you separate from Federal service. TCC coverage becomes effective the day after the qualifying event. After your 31-day extension of your group coverage ends, you pay the full premium (the enrollee and Government contribution) plus a 2 percent administrative fee. For more information, contact your agency's Human Resources Office and review the TCC pamplet at www.opm.gov/insure/health/eligibility/tcc.

When children reach age 26, they are eligible to enroll in Temporary Continuation of Coverage (TCC) or convert to an individual policy. It is the responsibility of you or your child to know when he/she is no longer eligible for coverage and to apply for TCC or a conversion policy in a timely manner. Your employing office is not obligated to inform you of your child’s eligibility for TCC and conversion rights when he/she is no longer eligible for coverage.
TCC:
If a child loses coverage under your enrollment because he/she reaches age 26, he/she is eligible for TCC. You must contact your Human Resources Office within 60 days of your child’s 26th birthday to inform them that your child is turning age 26. Your Human Resources Office will give you information about enrolling your child in TCC or converting your child to an individual policy. Your child has 60 days to request enrollment for TCC from the later of (1) his/her 26th birthday or (2) the date of the TCC notice from the Human Resources Office. For more information about TCC, please review the TCC coverage pamphlet at www.opm.gov/insure/health/eligibility/tcc.
Conversion:
If a child loses coverage under your enrollment because he/she reaches age 26, he/she is entitled to convert to an individual policy offered by the carrier of your plan. Your child is not required to provide evidence of insurability. To apply for conversion, you or your child must make a written request to the carrier of your plan. You or your child must apply for conversion within 31 days after his/her 26th birthday. For more information about conversion, please visit http://www.opm.gov/insure/health/reference/handbook/FEHB15.asp#31.

No. When you lose FEHB coverage other than by cancellation (including cancellation by nonpayment of premiums) you have a 31-day temporary extension of coverage, at no cost. This coverage is provided in the same enrollment category so you may convert to an individual contract with your current health benefits plan. Please review the Temporary Continuation of Coverage (TCC) pamphlet. www.opm.gov/insure/health/eligibility/tcc

Temporary Continuation of Coverage (TCC) is available to: (1) employees who lose their FEHB Program coverage because they leave their Federal jobs, (2) children who lose their FEHB Program family member status because they reach age 26, and (3) former spouses who lose their FEHB Program family member status because of divorce or annulment. TCC allows former employees to continue their FEHB Program coverage for up to 18 months, and former family members (children and former spouses) to continue FEHB Program coverage for up to 36 months. For more information about TCC, please review the TCC pamphlet at www.opm.gov/insure/health/eligibility/tcc/index.asp.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) is a Federal law that provides far-reaching health insurance reforms and medical privacy protections for all Americans. Title I of HIPAA offers important, though limited, Federal protections that improve the availability and continuity of health coverage for workers and their families. Under certain conditions, this law guarantees the availability of new health coverage with no exclusions for pre-existing conditions for individuals who lose employment-based health coverage due to changes in employment or family status. The Departments of the Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services are jointly responsible for Federal rules concerning health insurance portability and accessibility requirements. However, since HIPAA gives enforcement authority to the individual states and allows states to impose more generous protections than those under HIPAA, a key source of information for individuals is your State Insurance Commissioner.

The TCC provisions allow children who no longer qualify as an eligible child (e.g., child reaches age 26, foster child no longer lives with the employee, foster child is no longer financially dependent on the employee) to continue their FEHB coverage for up to 36 months. The child is enrolled in his/her own right and pays both the employee’s and the Government's share of the premium, plus an additional 2% administrative cost. You should notify your employing office within 60 days after the child no longer qualifies for coverage as a family member.
A child who loses FEHB coverage for any reason other than by cancellation has a 31-day temporary extension of coverage, at no cost, for the purpose of converting to a non-group contract with his/her current health benefits plan. To convert the child's coverage to a non-group plan, you or your child must apply directly to the health benefits plan within 31 days after the child's eligibility ends.
For further information on health benefits, contact your personnel office.

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